France

Riesling Origin Blanc 2021

Jean-Marc Dreyer
Green fruits, balanced acidity, elegance, complexity: plenty of structure and depth; Jean-Marc Dreyer's Riesling Origin is what we call a wine for meditation. Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range is dedicated to single-varietal cuvées based on Alsatian varieties. Here, whole-bunch maceration exposes Riesling in a completely new light: ignoring the petrol notes (which are present, but politely wait until the finish to reveal themselves), the wine expresses a structured verticality balanced by a gentle roundness. Very mineral, but this time it's the soil you feel, not the diesel can. This wine was aged for eleven months in the Alsatian style, that is, in foudres and demi-muids. Taste pairings? Don't look, it goes with everything. Biodynamic method, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, no sulfites added in the vineyard or cellar.

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"Maceration in Alsace is a tradition!" says Jean-Marc Dreyer, adding that direct pressing in this region is a modern invention, linked to the advent of electricity. In the past, people worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press. » Whole-bunch maceration is Jean-Marc Dreyer's signature and represents 85% of the estate's production, the remainder consisting of direct-pressed whites, often aged using controlled oxidation. Jean-Marc succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, established in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics, but he hesitated for a while between several methods: at first, his wines were more oaky, aged in new barrels with stirring. Then came the sweet period: all his wines contained residual sugar. In 2008, he tried vinifying without any sulfur and found his direction: the following winter, upon returning from the pilgrimage to Compostela, he swore never to add sulfur to any wine again. Having made this decision, he asserts his style around skin maceration, quite advanced, chiseled, always surprising on Alsatian grape varieties, of which it brings out the structure without sacrificing the delicacy. Jean-Marc works in single-varietal or blended vintages and also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

Grandes Orgues Rouge 2018,

Frédéric Gounan
Blessed with superb maturity and great minerality, Les Grandes Orgues by Frédéric Gounan is a single-varietal Pinot Noir from Auvergne grown on basalt soils. Its generous, concentrated body, great liveliness, and freshness make it a sumptuous, lively, energetic wine capable of being enjoyed on its own. Beautiful notes of red fruits mineralized by basalt and lava, a true wine born of the earth. The distinction between Grandes Orgues and Petites Orgues is in no way linked to the plot but to the vintage and the blend. It is made during tasting, at the very end of aging. It is the first wine to be racked, the quintessence of the vintage. What seems the greatest, the most obvious, is the subject of the first blend. Then, the rest is blended to create the Les Petites Orgues cuvée. These Grandes Orgues are a pleasure to enjoy with local cuisine.

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Coming from a family of farmers established in the commune of Saint-Sandoux (Puy-de-Dôme) for at least two centuries, Frédéric Gounan was in his first life a mechanic and prototype creator for the French motorcycle brand Voxan, whose headquarters were in Issoire. He turned away from the industrial world to devote himself to wine with his partner Caroline. He intends to take advantage of the magnificent terroirs of his native village, far from "pissing the vines", as was done in the past: he notes that everything that comes from this land has exceptional taste qualities. He takes over plots of Gamay d'Auvergne, plants other grape varieties, and ends up producing vintages that are among the tastiest and most sought-after in Auvergne. On this land of the Chaîne des Puys, Pinot Noirs grow on black basalt soils, while Sauvignons and Pinot Gris grow on white clay-limestone soils with basalt pebbles. A follower of organic and biodynamic farming, Frédéric also applies methods he deems appropriate to the climate and terroir: to facilitate photosynthesis in this harsh and contrasting climate, he practices lyre trellising, which allows the vines' foliage to be aerated and exposed to the sun, guaranteeing ripe fruit at harvest. Always a mechanic at heart, he makes his tools and tinkers with his tractors according to his needs. His wines are rare and distinguished, highly sought after by wine lovers: small estate (less than two hectares), small production (by volume, not by spirit).

Beaujolais Village P'tit Grobis Rouge 2021

Nicolas Chemarin
Nicolas Chemarin's P'tit Grobis Rouge is an incredibly vibrant, fruity, mineral, and taut Beaujolais red, capable of converting even the most reluctant to Beaujolais. This is Nicolas's most personal cuvée, which he named after his local nickname. One hundred percent Gamay from the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, with a light ruby ​​color and elegant gurgling, it represents Gamay Noir à jus blanc at its most enjoyable. Light yet full-bodied, beautifully balanced between fruit and minerality, it offers notes of cherry, morello cherry, and raspberry, while perfectly reflecting the granite mineral substrate so important to Beaujolais wines. Nicely acidic and adaptable to all situations: it is both an aperitif and a tasting wine.

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Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed P’tit Grobis as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemakers on his family wine estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on a land full of stones where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of vines from his father and in 2006 he signed his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose terroir, very steep, consists of rocky and poor soils on a gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the soil configuration, the vines are pruned in goblet or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The vintages undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20°C). Aging is partially done in temperature-controlled concrete vats for a third, the remaining two-thirds being spent in barrels of four to ten wines to provide oxygenation but little or no oaky sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, pleasure wines, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Clef à Molette Blanc 2021,

Domaine de l'Octavin
Lots of charm, yellow citrus and white flowers, and a clean, saline finish for this Clé à Molette, so named because it is, naturally, made 100% from the local grape variety called Molette (hence the label), harvested at the Trichon estate in Lhuis (Bugey), this wine is produced biodynamically on clay-limestone soils. The grapes are pressed directly; The must ferments and matures in vats for nine months.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just grapes that are happy in their own skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine; it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in the wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, as this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.
An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines, which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Ganache Red 2021,

Domaine de l'Octavin

A complex, innovative, and delicious wine, obtained after eight weeks of whole-bunch maceration. Bottling was done in June 2022. Ganache is not far from Grenache, that's it, you get the idea, and Gamay joins the fray. The famous southern grape variety, cultivated biodynamically and harvested in Carpentras (SCEA L’Authentique by Claude Ughetto), vinified in the Jura, doesn’t feel out of place at all: nothing prevents it from unleashing its brazenly fruity notes – cherry, fresh and candied strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, plum, dried fruit – enhanced with plum, black pepper, spices and chocolate. All that? Yes. Don’t be surprised by a slight reduction upon opening: aerate the wine, decant, or let it wait a little in the glass, it will disappear.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that’s comfortable in its own skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine, it’s a perfect description. Established in 2005, Domaine d'Alice is located in Arbois, in the Jura wine region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of producing – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for nature, as this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It is a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares. An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice aims to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines, which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she faithfully followed this path. The sometimes whimsical names of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura: Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business selling "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends in the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, Alice Bouvot's wines are all the more sought-after as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Grenabar Rouge 2021,

Domaine de l'Octavin
Grenabar 2021 is a joyful, fruity, and borderline rosé wine, with decidedly maraschino cherry, blood orange, and watermelon notes, with well-ripened tannins and moderate acidity that makes it very adaptable. Originally, it was made from Grenache and Colombard. For this vintage, it is made from Carignan and Vermentino (Rolle) produced biodynamically on granite and quartz soils (SCEA L’Authentique by Claude Ughetto in Carpentras). It is made by steeping whole-bunch Vermentino in Carignan must obtained by direct pressing. This maceration takes place for three weeks. Bottling was done in June 2022. This red wine also extends to the pairings traditionally associated with white wines. Very versatile and fresh on the palate.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that feels good in its skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine; it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in this wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The habit of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, this type of wine allowing no chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.
An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines, which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Feel Good Savagnin Qvevris Blanc 2020,

Frédéric Cossard


The particular energy of Savagnin, a typical white grape variety from the Jura, is expressed through this Feel Good from the Qvevris series, beautifully taut and aromatic. By combining fifty-year-old vines grown on a Jurassic marl plot in Rotalier (Jura), direct pressing and ten months of ageing in qvevri (a buried Georgian-style terracotta jar, which deepens and smooths the wines), we obtain this Feel Good Savagnin, a sublime and complex expression of this wonderful grape variety, with a slight bite, freshness, tension and plenty of spice. Note: since the name of the grape variety cannot be mentioned on the label if the grapes are vinified outside the Jura region, Frédéric Cossard has substituted “Feel Good” because “savagnin is fine”.
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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice which are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for a time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine merchant company and purchased organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais vintages. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Cotillon des Dames Blanc 2020,

Jean-Yves Péron
Côtillon des Dames 2020 is a very refined, fruity wine to be savored. It is a white wine of great aromatic complexity, elegant and fruity, with a superb length on the palate. The winemaker has done everything possible to preserve the aroma and character of the Jacquère grape variety, present in the majority here, and the length and maturity of the Altesse and Roussanne. This is one of Jean-Yves Péron's flagship cuvées. For this vintage, the wine is therefore made from 50 to 60% Jacquère, with Altesse and Roussanne as complementary grape varieties. All these vines grow on different terroirs: schist and limestone, limestone scree in Fréterie, mica schist in Albertville. The grapes are vinified separately and blended approximately two months before bottling. The idea is to be able to precisely control the evolution of the juice and balance the wine according to the behavior of each grape variety. The Jacquères are harvested very ripe and macerated for two to three months with punching down. The Altesses and Roussannes macerate for two to three weeks in carbonic fermentation with some punching down. Aging is one year in 300-liter barrels.

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Jean-Yves Péron embodies the natural renaissance of the beautiful Savoyard vineyard, which has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures are produced by its varied soils and its many ancient grape varieties! Near Conflans, in Albertville (Savoie), Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both under the banner of nature and high-altitude organic vines. Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. Jean-Yves' current vineyard, one and a half hectares of biodynamic farming from the start, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère valley. Composed of micro-plots of vines, it is staggered between 350m and 550m above sea level and is entirely worked by hand. His trading activity, which began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winegrowers close to his home (such as Raphaël Marin and Adrien Dacquin). Also, the construction of a new winery in 2017 allows him to increase production and collaborate with winegrowers from Northern Italy: Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato (Turin), Giorgio Barbero in Asti. This is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.
Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the woody sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

La Grande Journee Blanc 2020,

Jean-Yves Péron


La Grande Journée is a magnificent "polyphonic" maceration white, a distinguished orange with a layered structure. It will be perfect for any occasion. This cuvée is produced entirely from Jean-Yves's terraced Altesse plot, on mica schist soils. The grapes are harvested at the peak of ripeness (towards the end of September, Altesse being an early-ripening grape variety). They then undergo two weeks of carbonic skin maceration and three months of punching down, until the end of alcoholic fermentation. After racking around the end of December or beginning of January, the wine is aged for at least a year in 300-liter barrels.

To find out more
Jean-Yves Péron embodies the natural renaissance of the beautiful Savoyard vineyard, which has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce!
Near Conflans, in Albertville (Savoie), Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both under the banner of nature and high-altitude organic vines. Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. Jean-Yves' current vineyard, one and a half hectares biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further down in the Isère Valley. Made up of micro-plots of vines, it is staggered between 350 m and 550 m above sea level and is worked entirely by hand. His trading activity, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to his home (such as Raphaël Marin and Adrien Dacquin). Also, the construction of a new winery in 2017 allows him to increase production and collaborate with winemakers from Northern Italy: Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato (Turin), Giorgio Barbero in Asti. This is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru les Folatières White 2020,

Fréderic Cossard

A fine example of Chardonnay at its zenith, this Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru is distinguished, complex, powerful, and precise. It comes from the Folatières plot, planted with very old vines. This age is felt in the depth and structure of the wine, and likewise, it benefits from superb aging qualities.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Cyprès de Toi Blanc 2021,

Cyprès Base
Wonderfully balanced, taut, yet affable, this all-Chardonnay first delivers a basket of white fruits—ripe and crisp nashi pear, cottage garden pear—which quickly give way to exotic notes on the mid-palate: a delicate touch of mango and apricot. In the background, wild thyme, thyme, garrigue, a hint of fig leaf and fresh lemon. A broad and generous palette that lends itself to any occasion. Shaped by the limestone and blue marl soils of Escales, vinified and aged in stainless steel vats, this wine is seductive, dazzlingly fresh and delicious enough to evoke the most diverse culinary pairings.

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This Corbières estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the heart of the old Corbières massif, they took over an old estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had not seen any fertilizer or pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils were ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

Pauvre Diable Red 2020,

Domaine Serre Besson

Gourmet, deep, and velvety, this wine offers lovely, well-integrated tannins. The notes of black cherry and blackberry are assertive, while the mid-palate is characterized by touches of spice and rose. A beautiful natural red from the Vinsobres terroir, with a bright, clear ruby color. Don't be swayed by what you read on the label: Pauvre Diable, endowed with all the graces mentioned above, is nothing to be pitied. The name alludes to the state in which Victor Taylor, the current owner of the Serre Besson estate, found the estate when he bought it in 2011. A restoration of the vineyard followed, as well as a conversion to organic farming which is now bearing fruit: in this case this natural cuvée, without adding any inputs to the vineyard or the cellar, a pure expression of the estate's varied soils (sand, limestone, clay) and the oldest Grenache vines planted there. You can drink it now, in its youth and freshness, or let it age for three to five years.

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In 2011, Victor, a Californian sommelier who had settled in Nyons after leaving his position as restaurant director at the Carlyle Hotel in New York, became passionate about the Serre Besson estate, then a small, abandoned wine estate nestled around an old stone building. He bought the whole property, renovated it, and revitalized the vineyard. A few years later, the red wines from the Serre Besson estate, in the Vinsobres appellation, were making waves, were noticed in competitions, and won several medals. Victor, upon taking over the estate, began his conversion to organic farming, which now allows him to produce an entirely natural cuvée based on Grenache: this is the Pauvre Diable that we offer you. In addition, it produces a Vinsobres appellation of origin whose grape varieties bring together Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Grenache. As well as a rosé macerated with Grenache Noir, Syrah and Viognier. The owner's ambition is not to impose a new style but to respect the terroir and nature in an environment that offers all the possibilities to make exceptional wines.

VéNéNuM Rouge 2018,

Aurélien Lefort
One hundred percent Gamay from Auvergne, VéNéNuM is a red cuvée made in small quantities from vines over a hundred years old, planted in 1904 on red clay soils rich in quartz and granite sand (Lamouret location). Harvested in September, the wine macerated in vats with whole bunches for forty-five days, and aged for eighteen months in vats followed by eleven months in bottle.

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Established since 2011 in Madriat, near Boudes, in the southern part of Puy-de-Dôme, Aurélien Lefort is an artist (a Fine Arts graduate) with a passion for wine and nature. After training with Michel Auger (Loire) and Patrick Bouju, he decided to move to Auvergne and took over the lease of abandoned vineyards. The Boudes region is an ancient wine-producing land, an exceptional volcanic terroir, warm and vibrant, cultivated for nearly two thousand years. Aurélien's approach is to encourage the revival of this magnificent vineyard. He does this on small areas of stunning pedological diversity: basalt, granite, calcareous red clay, sandy and gravelly clay on quartz flows, and, at the foot of the hillside, marly white clay. On this substrate, the Auvergne trilogy (Gamay, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) takes the lion's share. In Aurélien's hands, the singular talent of Auvergne Gamay, an ancient grape variety as dense and powerful as it is spicy, which finds a particular expression on these volcanic soils. His plots are grassed but mown to control humidity, and the vines are worked with a pickaxe to prevent the root system from suffocating. The harvest, always manual, can last up to three weeks due to the meticulous sorting of the berries. This is the price Aurélien Lefort pays to create his rare and sought-after vintages, resulting from long macerations (up to three months). Mostly red, sometimes sparkling, sometimes also mellow (late harvest reds), they always leave a lasting, even unforgettable, impression.

Saint Joseph Red 2019

Thierry Alexandre

A feast of violets, blackcurrants, black fruits, morello cherries, magnificent smoky and roasted notes, pepper, and spices; a crisp palate with a hint of astringency. This beautiful, dense, and mineral red from the Saint-Joseph appellation, produced biodynamically, is made from 100% old Syrah vines growing on well-exposed slopes in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, on the right bank of the Rhône. The soils are complex: loess, decomposed granite, and gneiss. The harvest is entirely manual, and no additives are used in the vineyard or winery. The grapes are lightly crushed and macerated for three weeks in whole bunches, and aged for one year in old barrels. No filtration is carried out before bottling.

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Thierry Alexandre produces little (two hectares in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, in Ardèche, and a few vines north of Crozes-Hermitage), but he produces well and carefully, entirely biodynamically and without additives in the vineyard or cellar. His bottles are in the Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage blanc and Vin de France appellations. The grape varieties are typical of this northern Rhône Valley: Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier. The estate lies on quite varied soils, mainly decomposed granite, as well as gneiss, sandy clay and loess. He practices semicarbonic fermentation in whole bunches for fairly long periods and aging, depending on the vintage, in stainless steel or old barrels. His wines are as rare and sought-after as the winemaker is humble and discreet, but there is nothing haughty or inaccessible about them: pleasant, warm, fluid and well balanced between fruit and mineral, they are wines of pleasure that should be reserved for the most friendly gatherings.

Cul Sec Blanc 2020

Thierry Alexandre
A splendid wine, sumptuously fine and fresh—and it's a Vin de France. The texture is silky and rich, with notes of fresh apple and white peach. Great elegance and purity, a magnificent balance between fruity, floral, and mineral notes. Produced biodynamically and under the Vin de France appellation, Cul sec blanc is the faithful expression of its terroir in the northern Rhône Valley: it is made from Viognier and Marsanne grown biodynamically on granite and gneiss soils in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, on the banks of the Ardèche near its mouth. The harvest is entirely manual, in small containers, and no inputs are used in the vineyard or the winery. The grapes stay in a cold room while awaiting direct pressing, which is done slowly and gently to extract the best from the fruit. This step is followed by settling, after which the must goes into stainless steel vats to ferment with natural yeasts. The aging is one year, also in stainless steel vats.

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Thierry Alexandre produces little (two hectares in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, in Ardèche, and a few vines north of Crozes-Hermitage), but he produces well and carefully, all biodynamically and without additives in the vineyard or cellar. His bottles are in the Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage blanc and Vin de France appellations. The grape varieties are typical of this northern Rhône Valley: Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier. The estate rests on quite varied soils, mainly decomposed granite, as well as gneiss, sandy clay and loess. He practices semicarbonic fermentation in whole bunches for fairly long periods and aging, depending on the vintage, in stainless steel or old barrels. His wines are as rare and sought-after as the winemaker is humble and discreet, but there is nothing haughty or inaccessible about them: pleasant, warm, fluid and well balanced between fruit and mineral, they are wines of pleasure that should be reserved for the most friendly gatherings.

On the Rock Again 2020,

Nicolas Chemarin
Deep, mineral, and hyper-complex yet highly drinkable, On The Rock Again presents a purple color with violet highlights. Its nose is floral (violet), carrying notes of wet rock and spices. The attack evokes ripe red fruits (raspberry, cherry). The aftertaste is long and lively with great salinity. The tannins, melted and elegant, give the wine a very pleasant roundness. This Gamay Noir à jus blanc cuvée directly alludes, through its title, to the omnipresent, outcropping rock of the Marchampts terroir, directly transmitting its earthy notes to the Gamay. The minerality of this superb hillside Beaujolais red, classified as a Vin de France, should come as no surprise. We recommend tasting at 12°C and uncorking, or even decanting, half an hour to an hour before serving this wine. The harvest is vatted by gravity, in whole bunches. Vatting lasts fifteen days at a controlled temperature (5 to 18°C), without pumping over. After pressing, the cuvée is aged in vats on fine lees for ten months. Bottled in the waning moon, in August following the harvest, without filtration or the addition of sulfites.

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Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed "P'tit Grobis" as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family wine estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of vines from his father and in 2006 he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The vintages undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20°C). The aging is done partially in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds passing into barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already very well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines of pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, provided with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Magnum Pinot Noir 2020

Domaine Einhart
A velvety, ripe red, 100% Pinot Noir, with an intense, fragrant, and gently fruity aroma. The deep, purplish color evokes black cherry. The initial nose is enhanced by aromas of black fruits (blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry) with a hint of freshness blended into a light vanilla woodiness. The second nose is more open, with aromas of blood orange, bitter almond, and kirsch. On the palate, the berries are still present, supported by present but well-melted tannins, leading to a velvety finish resting on a lovely freshness. Plenty of persistence and length. The Pinot Noirs from which it is made, aged around thirty years, grow on the muschelkalk (shell limestone) terroirs of Dittelsberg-Albermohn and are harvested by hand, then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between ten and twelve days. Aging for one year on fine lees, in demi-muids, precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can fully express its finesse and grace.

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Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

White Riesling 2020

Domaine Einhart
Riesling, the lord of Eastern grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility. The color is a beautiful orange-yellow. The initial nose is very refined, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion. The second nose is fresher and mineral, with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with liveliness and beautiful verticality; the minerality is typical of limestone. Dried herbs return before a persistent finish with a remarkable salinity. Light skin maceration is successful in Riesling, and this one is no exception. The twenty-five-year-old vines grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) terroirs of Westerberg, Molsheimgass, and Fleckstein. The grapes are harvested by hand and then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in tuns, followed by bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its mineral notes.

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Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to the protection of the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, the refusal of harmful phytosanitary products and the maintenance of ecological refuge zones. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

La Désirée Blanc 2018,

La Grapperie
In the Coteaux du Loir appellation, La Grapperie is the name of Renaud Guettier's estate, which can be described as a master of Chenin, but also of Pineau d'Aunis, one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley. His principle, he explains, is "to produce complex, rich wines with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are dominated by clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope), or sand (at the top). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally permitted in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few acres of Côt, Gamay, and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud has been meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is farmed organically. The soils are worked, and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, which is carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineaux d'Aunis are partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, using indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.
Désirée is an all-Chenin obtained from flint clay on a limestone base at an altitude of 100 meters. The vines are between fifty and one hundred and fifteen years old. The grapes are processed by direct pressing and all the work on the juices and wines is done by gravity. Aging is twenty-four months on lees in barrels in cellars dug into the tuffeau. It is a wine that one undresses with the eye, which seduces with its nose of bitter almond, prolonged in the mouth by tenderly buttery notes, touches of white fruits and nuts, counterbalanced by a very clear acidity.

Auxey Duresses Les Crais Blanc 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper, and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.
This white Auxey-Duresses produced on the Crais plot is remarkably pure in expression. The maturity of the grapes is exceptional and is felt in the form of a pleasant roundness and generous fruit. Lots of straightness, elegance, complexity and tension.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.